Shoe-sole.



Patented ont. I7, laas. w. B. ARNGLD.

sHol-z Sou-:

(Application tiled July 31, 1899.)

(NoHodel.)

llrrnn STAT- ns VIILIAM B. ARNOLD, OF NORTH ABINGTON, MASSAOHUSETTS.

SHOE-SOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 635,118, dated October 1'7, 1899.

Application led July 31,1899. Serial No. 725,585. (No model.)

.Massachusetts haveinvented an Improvement in Shoe-Soles, of which the following de Scription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an improved shoe-sole or combination -sole intended to improve and cheapen the manufacture of boots and shoes.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes the outer sole is made of heavy expensive stock or sole-leather, and my invention aims at economizing the amount of lthis expensive. stock required for a first-class shoe, while at the same time otherwise cheapening the cost of manufacture and improving the shoe, as will be more fully explained later on.

In the drawings, Figure l is atop plan View of an ordinary sole eut out read y for use. Fig. 2 shows the fore part of my improved sole. Fig. J is a similar top plan view showing my improved compound sole. Fig. fl is an edge elevation thereof, showing the heel or counter portion of a shoe in dotted lines. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views showing certain steps in the manufacture of the heel part of the sole.

The following is a detailed description of the best mode in which I contemplate apply ing my invention, in which I have described my invention in such manner as to distinguish it from all others.

In manufacturing my improved combination-sole I first take a strip of preferably inn ferior leather-for instance, such as comes ont of the skiriings-and cut 4strips out of this inexpensive stock, such as shown at a, Fig. 5. These strips I then pass under a cutting-die, which severs them along the dotted line a', Fig. 5, and leaves two strips cut, as shown at a2, Fig. 6, having a straight lower edge a3 and a toothed edge a". This strip is then wet or soaked and bent into the contour of a heel and dried under great pressure until this heel end of the sole is rendered hard and dense and permanent in its curved shape, as shown at Fig. 3. Then I cut a front portion a5 of the sole, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, from the first-class and expensive stock, such as is commonly used "for outer soles. The piece a5 is preferably cut, as shown in Fig. 2, of a length t0 extend from the -toe to the front edge of the heel, as shown in Fig. 3. The contiguous edges of the portion t5 andthe portion a2 of the sole are then scarfed or interlocked, as indicated at a7, the parts being cut away on their flesh sides.

In practice the parts a5 and a2 are taken, and the former is placed with its grain side down and flesh sideup and the part ft2 or heel end of the sole is placed with its grain side up and its flesh side down, and theyare then secured to the shoe in the usual manner.

By reason of my improved construction a great many advantages are secured. In the first place I am enabled to save in the neighborhood of twenty per cent. of the high-cost stock which would otherwise be required if the sole were cut out in the usual manner, as indicated in Fig. l. have aimed at securing this same advantage, although, so far as I know, no practically successful result has been obtained. In my in* vention, however, the inferior stockA which is used to make the heel end of the sole is cut in such manner that the rear end thereof has the teeth between the indentations at its inner edge brought together into a practically solid supporting portion to receive the weight of the wearer, and the remaining prongs or teeth of the strip a2 are so disposed, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, extending approximately to the middle ofthe heel, as theydo, and more or less separated, as to give a cushioning effect and yet afford all the support required at this partof the shoe.

A further very important advantage of my invention is that a clean or smooth rand or edge next to the'counter is provided, inasmuch as the grain side of the leather is uppermost, and accordingly a better finish and more perfect result are secured. This feature of my invention enables me to dispense with the workman who has heretofore been required for cleaning out or scraping off the rand.

While I prefer to press the substituted end a2 of the sole, yet this does notprevent my improved heel end from having considerable flexibility, and in this respect it accomplishes I am aware that others f IOO very much the same object that is attained by the rubber heels or rubber lifts applied to heels commonly used at the present day.

O ne reason I compress or harden the heel end. is to make the bent strip retain its shape, my object being to give a substantial and adequate support to the shoe, and I believe it is vnew to take a straight piece or strip of leather of considerable width and thickness, (entirely different in character from what are known as weltstrips,) said strip having cuts along one edge, and bend it so as to bring the cut or toothed edge inside, thus causing the ,cut edge to compact itself and make a practically solid supporting portion where the sharp bend comes. In Fig. 4 most of the shoe h' is broken away and omitted for convenience of space, the sole being shown as straight instead of curved for the same reason.

I have here shown and described my invention in the best embodiment now known to me and as I prefer to use it; but my invention is not thereby to be limited to the specific embodiment shown or otherwise than as set forth in the claims.

By taking inexpensive and inferior stock, as explained, and bending it Wet and then pressing it, preferablyin the presence of heat, I am enabled to make a hard, solid, and rigid heel end, permanent in shape, which may be sold as an article of manufacture to shoe manufacturers to be used in connection with fore parts a5, which they may themselves die out according to the varying styles and sizes, and

' Width between said edges, the teeth of the inner edge extending approximately toward the middleof the heela sufficient distance to sup vport the shoe, substantially as described.

2. A sole for boots and shoes,comprising a front portion of sole-leather and a heel end, said heelend having a smooth outer edge and an indented inner edge with a solid strip of considerable width between said edges, the teeth formed by said indentations of the inner edge extending approXimately'toWa-rd the middle of the heel a sufficient distance to support the shoe, said front portion having its grain sidedown and said heel end having its grain side up, substantially as described.

3. A heel end for a boot or shoe sole consisting of a strip having one edge substantially smooth and the other edge toothed substantially throughout its length leavingaconsiderable width of uncut material adjacent said smooth edge and Ybetween it and said teeth, said strip being bent or curved to cause -its outer smooth edge to conform approxi-V mately to the form of a heel, the inwardlyextending teeth around the sharply-bent portion of said heel end being compacted to form a substantially solid support, the teeth adja cent the ends of the said strip remaining more or less separated, substantially as described.

4. A shoe, having a sole made up of a plurality of parts, including a heel end consist- IVILLIAM B. ARNOLD.

Witnesses Guo. HFMAXWELL, HoMER A. ARNOLD. 

